UN's 'life-saver' fund breaks $2 billion mark
girls carrying safe drinking water: UNICEF
More than $2 billion have been donated by the United Nations Emergency Response Fund (CERF), to help in emergencies caused by natural disasters or conflicts.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says this is a milestone in efforts to speed up the international response to humanitarian crises.
The fund gets contributions from governments, corporations, individuals and non-governmental organizations.
Martin Nesirky is a UN spokesman.
"The Response Fund was launched in 2006 and it has become the UN's sixth largest source of revenue for humanitarian appeals, allocating an average of $400 million a year to 82 countries. The Secretary-General says, "Member States established CERF for a simple reason: when people are hit by disaster, there is no time to lose. CERF is a proven life-saver."
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